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Sunday, April 22, 2012

My Kodak Moment Dresser

Yesterday I was in a funk. An unmotivated, too much to do, foggy funk.

I had a to-do list, like scrub the toilets and floors, so I was
avoiding it. A wise blogger reminded me that the last time I was in a funk I got creative with the Rock 'n Roll Dresser, so I decided to work on something that wasn't on any list.

Simple and white Before

I had Brawn bring up an old dresser from the depths of helll (the
storage room).

We got this at an auction I don't even know how many years
ago, at least 18. I know this because the last time it was used was as
a baby dresser for one of our boys.

The oak wood was pretty beat up, so 18
years ago I painted it with a thick white paint called Melamine paint that filled in all the deep areas where wood had worn away.
It was stinky and toxic and I was pregnant, how dumb huh?

The dresser
has nice curved drawer fronts. Too bad the drawers are so shallow it
only worked for the first 6
months of life before his clothes outgrew it- he had a lot of hand me downs from two older brothers.

So it went to the
storage room never to be used again other than to set storage room junk
on.

Distressed with sander

Nice Curved Drawer Fronts

I stared at it for quite a while trying to get some ambition and
vision. But before I could decide what to paint on it, I had to decide
where I was going to put it.

I tend to scatter my camera gear all over
the house, tucked in any open space in cabinets or the bedroom armoire.
So why not turn the dresser into something to house all my
stuff......perfect, now I had plan!

Most of my equipment is made by Canon and Minolta. After my dad died my
mom didn't really know what to save so I inherited a couple Polaroids,
and some lucky garage sale folks scored the rest including all his old
Kodak stuff.

I went with Kodak on the dresser anyhow. K O D A K had less letters to paint, that is till I added in the Eastman part. Besides, I've had quite a few Kodak moments in my life.

I used the electric sander to sand off some of the thick melamine paint
so that under the letters there would be distressing right down to the
wood.

Some of the letters are hand painted on, some were
stickers/decals that I painted over then peeled off. I had to paint
some letters on because I didn't have enough letter decals.

Next time I feel a funk coming on, I'll go to the store first for letter decals.

That's my mom in her original art deco glass frame, and some of my dads old stuff.

I wanted the dresser to be highly distressed like it had been around for a while. I used CeCe Caldwells paint in Slate, sanded with very fine steel wool, and then waxed.

I decided to put the same black knobs back on. That makes this redo, cost me what, nothing? Well my toilets and floors
still need to be cleaned, so it cost me some time.

Some cleaning time... oh boo hoo!

The street address is the actual Eastman Kodak building.

I'm not sure the dresser will stay on this slice of wall as I have another spot in mind.

A new spot with old windows hanging above it, displaying what else - old black and white photos.

Oh Bliss...I am in love with this dresser! I must create something now! You inspired me - I adore it and it is way better than you led me to believe you stinker! WOW! Love the subway art and your pics are just wicked cool. I bragged about you on my Facebook page - when you got it, you got it and lady, you got it!Stacey of Embracing Change

You've done it again! I love this and all of the storage. Now that I see this I really think you should do a house tour....I REALLY WANNA SEE THE INSIDE OF YOUR HOUSE!!Also I gave you the Versatile blogger award. Please dont feel like you have to pass it on (it's time consuming) but I wanted to give it to you anyway!

You are on a roll!!! You've designed the perfect piece of furniture for the resident photographer...YOU! How nice that you have some of your family history displayed on top and it will be even more wonderful with a window photo collage above it.

Oh Bliss...I am sitting here, rying into my coffee...I had to leave my beloved Rocheser because of the demise of Kodak, and here I am in the hills of NC which is like being in a foreign country. Thanks so much for sharing your lovely dresser.

I have been wanting to do some subway art, but could not decide on the names to use. How simple - you just took some family memories! I am now thinking of using my grandparent's names and their birthplace. Thanks for the inspiration! Followed over from The Gunny Sack.

I was going to say, you better link up this one to cowgirl up, because it's going on my FB page right now. You are AWESOME!!!! You are welcome to visit the ranch anytime (just bring your paintbrush and your letter decals)!

Please tell me you didn't get in a funk, think of pulling out the dresser, come up with an idea, decide exactly what you were going to do, and carry it through all in one day! If so, you have some serious mojo, girl! Bottle it up and ship it out, I'd buy a truck load.

Bliss, this is the first time I visit you and I am very happy I did, what a wonderful job you did with this dresser, well thought! inspired by Kodak, something very retro and original. Thank you for sharing it.

WOW! This turned out amazing! When I'm in a funk, I literally wander around my house in a total daze and accomplish nothing. I like the idea of doing something totally NOT on the list. I want to be like you when I grow up! ha! :)

You have amazed me ONCE AGAIN! Where do you come up with these amazing ideas???? I love how you redid that dresser. I never would've thought about using the letter decals like that and then pulling them back off. Genius! You know.......that dresser would look good in my house somewhere. Just sayin. So, if you ever want to part with it....... I'm calling you next time I get in a funk (which I was in yesterday too). You certainly have good ideas of how to get out of it.

What an awesome re-do! Love, love, love this one!! You have my wheels spinning with possibilities now! A little birdie told me you posted a burlap pillow from my etsy shop to your facebook and I have to give a big shout out Thank You!!!You Rock!

Fabulous job. LOVE the black/white contrast -- very fitting to the theme of b&w photography. Excellent job on the distressing, also.Question: after you paint over the letter decals, how long before you can safely peel them off, and do they come off easily? Thanks for any info.

Hi Bliss,I am thrilled to have found your blog...It is just full of wonderful inspiration. Love, love, love how the dresser turned out. I have a vintage dresser I have been wanting to give a makeover to for my daughter's bedroom and she loves old cameras and photography...I think she might like this idea. Thanks for the inspiration. Can't wait to look around your awesome blog some more. Have a wonderful day.

So impressed! I love it. I'm finally sitting at the computer with a glass of wine, ready to read through all my friend's blogs, the least "work-y" part of my day, and I come across this. I'm in awe. And jealous. And want to try it, except I don't really know about letter decals, but now that you told me, I'll go to the store first:)

O.M.G!!!You are AMAZING!!! Love, love, love this dresser! I wanna get in a funk like that! Bravo for avoiding the toilets and spending time with your talent! Thanks so much for linking up at I Gotta Create! <3 Christina

Are you kidding me? I just love what can come out of a no plan funk! This piece is gorgeous and so very unique. What a stinkin awesome job!I would be super excited if you linked up over at my Anything Goes Link Party going on from 6 MST Friday till midnight Monday.http://too-much-time.com/2012/04/get-schooled-saturday-20.htmlxxx, Kim

I love, love this dresser. I have one that I am getting ready to paint and I think that I am going to something like this. I love CeCe Caldwell Paint so much I started selling it. Thanks for the inspiration. Leslie

A woman after my own heart - anytime there is serious cleaning to do, I invent some other project to distract me! However, at no time have I made anything nearly as cool as this or your rock & roll dresser. I grew up near the Tennessee Eastman Kodak plant (I think all of my relatives worked there at some time or another), so I love the text. And I'll be featuring this at my Show & Tell party tomorrow - thanks for linking up!

Oh my goodness! This dresser is so cool! You did an amazing job, showing your passion for photograghy and displaying and making storage places for your favorite things too! What a great inspiring project! Just found you and I'm following you!Be blessed! Linda @ Grandmalay's Daydreams

Girl you rock!!I am amazed beyond words. This one will make you smile everytime you go for the camera. I agree with one comment ,an old window with Black and Whites of your family would be a perfect accent with the vintage cameras in front. I sold my collection of camera's and can say I still miss them. I had around 18 they made a cool statment. I want to find a dresser like this and do a texas outline that wraps the front and off to the sides. Then put names of the cities across each drawer. I think you talked me into a graphite and white. But AUSTIN will be in ? color....I'm thinking turquoise. See you inspired me Oh yea and line the drawers with Texas maps ...

I recognized the address before I saw the name Kodak......worked in that building for many a year!!! You made a beautiful tribute to a company that built this city of Rochester, and were a giant in the field of film. We are all sad that they have filed for bankruptcy, another great American company lost to overseas competition. However, we remain proud of all they accomplished in the fields of film, medicine, chemistry,the space program, digital work, color finishing and so much more.......

I love the dresser. It's great. I just painted a dresser for my adult son - plain ol' white! What was I thinking? This is so much better. I may have to take it back and redo it with words for him. Great idea.

This stopped me in my tracks ! I worked at State St for 20 years, retired now. What a great place it was and how sad a story:( Beautiful job, great tribute. But there's is sooo much more in Rochester than Kodak.

Hi Bliss, I found this on Hometalk and wanted to stop by and tell you how much I love it!! I've been to your site before, but never commented (I'm shy and a newbie) but I always laugh and enjoy your posts, all your awesome projects aside. The Valentine /Hey Girl was hysterical!! Looking forward to what you come up with next. Thanks.

Hi.. Love your blog, and you inspire me very much.. I wanted to say me and a friend stole your idea about this design, and made something like it.. If you want to see it, check out this link :D http://envintagedrom.blogspot.no/2012/09/ra-stilig-skjenk.html

this was our first project together, and from newer posts on the blog, you can see what more we made... :) Have a great day! Now I will browse more of your blog. Hugs for norway ..

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On any given day hanging out
around here are me and the
Brawn of the operation (guess
that makes me the brains?)
and a gaggle of offspring
~ six to be exact. Click on the *About* tab for the low down.

The Original Minnesota Junker

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